Questions can be used to find out how much students know, to assess their progress and deeper understanding, to promote their thinking and aid the transfer of knowledge into new contexts.
Whether face-to-face or in a blended learning environment, questioning is the means to achieve formative as well as summative assessment of student learning.
During a questioning session a student may ask a question they may not otherwise ask. Also another student may ask a similar type question that may answer their own question. There are no dumb/stupid questions, but it can be asked/delivered at the wrong time of class. Keep the students focus and on task will help in the learning process, including questioning.
One method that I use discussion as a learning tool is to use them to set up the next lesson or lessons. For instance we discuss methods that disease can be transferred. The students reply methods that they are aware of. I can then ask what type of disease can a person acquire by airborne transmission. When the students answer a cold we then can begin the discuss of how to prevent this, this is a lead in for our next topic which covers methods of breaking the chain of infection. It gets their mind thinking so the next day or week the lesson has new material but it isn't completely new to them. I think this helps the students feel more comfortable from the start of the next lesson.
it reinforces that the students understands the subject.I believe in any class discussion their are no wrong answers.
Whether the questions come from the student or from the teacher, they help to reinforce concepts and information presented in the course. Students may ask questions looking for clarification or explanation. Instructors may ask questions to help guide students to a greater understanding of the concepts.
I always start off with a simple question, usually I will receive one response, then ask the class if anyone want's to add to the answer. Sometimes this leads into some very good discussion's which helps the entire class learn.
Hi Mariann, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that without questioning we will be unaware of how effective our teaching is until we do a formal assessment. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Questions enable students to review what was taught in class and delve deeper into the material for further understanding. It also, allows instructors access how their teaching approach was, was it effective or not.
Mariann Urbancsik, BSRN
Many times I find that asking questions truly leads to better discussions. Also, although sometimes the discussion goes in an unknown direction, learning is always the key component of the classroom achieved by these questions. It's the old adage: sink or swim.
Hi Virgil, Thanks for your post to the forum. Yes, when used effectively questioning definitely increases student engagement. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Questioning sessions could be a great gauge of our students' grasp on the subject matter and has the potential to create an increased learning atmosphere due to class participation.
Yes, questioning sessions are ideal learning tools to enhance the students understanding and clarification of the content materials. It also encourage critical thinking and problem solving from the students.
Questioning sessions as a learning tool is wonderful for students. It gives them different information to think about and learn from. When this happens the students will know the material, because they would have read it.
Jacqueline Coleman
Hi Robert, Thanks for sharing an ideal approach to questioning! Very important, as you mention, that the instructor move to a facilitator role and let students engage with each other. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Being new to the teaching/instructing world, I find all this information very valuable and useful. I hope to challenge and engage my students with questions, and be able to have an instructor/student bond in which I can instill the process of continual learning.
Questioning sessions can be some of the best and insightful lessons taught if done properly. The key is to fully understand what is the objective and learning outcomes of the class. Then the instructor needs to prepare a thought provoking open ended question that will fully engage the student. This question should inspire the students to engage with one another and this question cannot be an absolute right or wrong type question. Once the conversation starts amongst the students the instructor moves from the teacher roll to the facilitator role. In adult education where we rely upon the experiences of our students this becomes invaluable because instead of just having one person’s knowledge and experience to draw from we have an entire class to draw from. The other keys to this type for the instructor is to make sure to keep the students headed towards the class objectives, pause to drive home key points, and don’t worry about white space.
I use questioning sessions for current events and assessments. This allows my students to interact with each other and work together.
Questioning the students also helps the instructor. By listening to the answers from the students the instructor can see if the students are gaining an understanding of the lecture. The instructor can tell if they need to go over certain material in detail.
Hi Dennis, Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree that ideally we can use questioning to expand on what our students have already learned. This requires them to use critical thinking to, as you mention, look at the information in new ways. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career.
Susan Polick
Questioning sessions bring to the table points of view from different angles so as to percieve things in a way that was not originally thought of.
d.daviau
